Subject:
GENDER EQUITY
Board Policy Number: 503
Institutional Procedure:
503.01
Date Adopted: June 13, 1995
Revised: December 1997
Peninsula College understands the importance of a learning and working environment free of discrimination and harassment. All complaints of gender discrimination or sexual harassment will be taken seriously. Any person who believes education or work experience is compromised by gender discrimination or sexual harassment should pursue remedy for the problem by following the procedure outlined below.
Advising Process
A person who believes he/she has experienced gender discrimination or sexual harassment in the college environment may discuss the issue with a gender equity advisor. This advisor's role is to help the claimant determine how to proceed. A current list of gender equity advisors, appointed by the president, appears in the student handbook and in the college telephone directory. The advising process is designed for free and open discussion between the individuals seeking information and the advisor. No record will be kept of the advising conversation other than the Peninsula College Gender Inequity Incident Report. That report will NOT contain the names of any party involved with the incident, but will be used only in annually reporting the number of incidents. Every attempt will be made to protect the privacy of the individuals during the advising process. The advisor will discuss mediation, formal hearing, and appeal options available to the claimant.
1. Mediation
After the advising process the claimant may request mediation among any parties involved. The goal of mediation is to provide a process of mutually agreed upon resolution. Mediation will occur only if all parties involved willingly agree to the process. If so, the affirmative action officer will initiate mediation within ten working days of receiving the request from the advisor unless availability of the parties involved necessitates an extension. Both parties have the option to bring a support person to mediation. If resolution does not occur through mediation, any party may request a formal hearing.
2. Formal Hearing
Any party may request a formal hearing by submitting a claim on Peninsula College's Complaint/Grievance Form to the affirmative action officer. The affirmative action officer will forward the claim to the sexual harassment investigative team appointed by the president. The investigative team will include classified, student, faculty, and administrative representation. The team may hold interviews or request input from respondent, claimant, or other involved parties. At the conclusion of the investigation, the investigative team will issue a written report which will include recommendations to the claimant, the respondent, and the college president.
In both the formal hearing and appeal processes all parties are entitled to legal counsel.
3. Appeal
If
the claim is not resolved as the result of the formal hearing, the claimant or
respondent may file an appeal in writing to the college president within ten
working days following the receipt of the formal hearing report.
Within ten working days after receiving the written appeal, the college
president or designee will conduct the appeal hearing and report the findings in
writing to both the claimant and the respondent.
The college president or designee, the affirmative action officer, the claimant,
and the respondent shall attend the presidential appeal hearing.
The president or designee shall preside. Either the claimant or the respondent may have witnesses
present.
The
findings and recommendations of the presidential appeal hearing shall constitute
final college disposition of the matter.
Disciplinary Action
The
president may take disciplinary action should the investigative team find (by
majority) discrimination in the form of gender inequity or sexual harassment.
The disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to, the
following: